Chain fastener



P. LBAKER.

YCHAIN FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 19. 1920.

Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

4instance, pivotally mounted between the renner J. BAKE-7a, or MALVERN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CHAIN FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent. .Patgntgd Ano- 29, 1922,

application inea May 1.9, 1920. serial No. 382.468.

To all whom 'may concer/11,:

lie it known that l, Pnncr J. BAKER, a citizen ot the United States. residing in Malvern, Chester County, lennsylrania,have

.invented a new and useful Chain Fastener,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to Yfasteners tor antiskid chains and the like, and the object ot my invention is to provide a fastener comprising certain novel and improved features hereinafter tully described.

In the `attached drawings:

Figure 1, is a vertical section ot a 'fastener' made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2, is a plan view olf the fastener shown in Fig. 1; l

Fig. 3, is a vertical section illustrating my fastener in the open position, and

Fig. 4, is a perspective view ot the body portion of the fastener.

With reference to the drawings, the fastener comprises a body portion 1, to which is pivotally secured a retaining member 2. The body member 1 consists of two substanv tially parallel side portions 3 and 41 secured together in the present instance along one side thereo't by a rounded substantially tubular vportion 5 forming at the rear ot the said walls an internal chamber 6. The said side portions 3 and of the body member have oppositely, and in the present instance diagonally, disposed recesses 7, 7 and 8, 8 er@ tending backwardly trom the front adjacent edges thereof, in which recesses a link ot a chain may be inserted in the manner illustrated in Fig. rl. The inner ends ot the said slots 7 yand 8 are preferably rounded out to `torm a seat :tor the said chain link occupying the recess The retaining member 2 is, in the present walls '3 and l ot' the body member 1 upon `a pin 9, said ypivotpin being located at a point near the outer andlower edges ot the said walls.` The said retaining member is substantially flat and thin throughout, so 'that when moved inwardly it may pass between the said walls and be substantially enveloped thereby, the main body portion 10 of the member lying just within the outer edges ot' the side portions and across-the outer ends of the slots :7 and 8 whereby the latter are closed and the link occupying either of the said slots prevented trom slipping out. At the lower end of said retaining member is an arm 11 extending substantially perpendicular y trom the body portion 10, and the said walls 3 and 4 ot the bodymember are' apertured at 12, 12 ttor the reception in the present instance ot a bolt or pin 13, to which is secured the end link 14 ot a chain, the base of the apertures 12, 12 being so located that they register with a rrecessed seat 15 in the upper edge o'tthe said arm 11. when the tasteneris closed, as shown in Fig. 1. The bolt 13 thus tends to preventthe opening ot the fastener so long asthere is any A,

tension upon the chain. The apertures 12.l however, are elongated, and when it vis def sired to open the fastener by pulling the said retaining member trom between `the walls ot the bodv member, the bolt 13 may rise upwardly 'through the aperture to permit the upward movement of the arm 11 as the said retaining member is rotated outwardly on its pivot.

As clearly shown in the drawings, the end ot the arm llbeyond the seat portion 1.5 slopes diagonally downward towards the end, this formation permitting the opening of the retaining member sutiiciently to release the chain from the recesses 7 or8, or to insert the links ot the chain therein.

The main portion 10 ot the retaining member `2 is comparatively narrow, and has extending outwardly near the top thereof two arms 16 and 17, substantially bool*- shaped in the present instance,` which are adapted to overlie the rounded-out` innei ends ot the slots 7 andl 3. Thesearms 16 and 17 are ot such length that the eXtremi ties thereof, when the tastener isclosed, e-

tend beyond the edges of the side portions 3 f and l which lie opposite the recessed edges thereof and, in the present instance, into the chamber 6 termed by the portion 5, and the said extremities are provided with resilient means for engaging the edges ott the said side portions to prevent accidental withdrawal ot the retaining member from the body.

In the present instance the retaining member 2 is made of a resilient metal, and the ends ot the arms 16 and 17 are divided, the divided portions or toes 1G and 17a ot the said arms `being spread slightly apart,`as is most clearly shown in Fig` 1.

The outer edges of the side portions 3 and 4 are preferably slightly splayed to accom` modate the spread ends ot the arms 16 and 17 as the member 2 enters the body portion, but

traeted, but when the ends of the arm-s finally enter the chamber l5- they are permitted to spread apart and thus oiier a resist ance to withdrawal. through the comparatively restricted opening between the sai-d rear' edges of the side portions.

Thus, in addition to the locking action ob` tained through the arm 11 at the bottom of the retaining member, there is the locking` to be inserted between the said side portions from the recessed side thereof to close said recesses, an arm upon said retaining` mem ber projecting beyond the edges of said side portions opposite the recessed edges thereof when said retaining` member is in the recessclosing position, and resilient means at the outer .end of said arm for engaging the edges of the side portions to prevent accidental withdrawal of said retaining member.

2. In a fastener, the combination 'with a body member comprisingl two substantially parallel side portions having` oppositely disposed recesses therein, of a retainingmember pivot-ally secured to said body and adapted to be inserted between said side portions from the recessed side thereof to close said recesses. and an arm upon said retaining member projecting beyond the edges of said side portions opposite the recessed edges thereof when said retaining member is in the recessclosing position, the outer end of said arm being divided and spread laterally to form resilient toes adapted to engage the edges of y 'the side portions and tending to prevent withdrawal of said rretaining` member.

3. In a fastener, the combinationwith a body member comprising two substantially j parallel side portions havin;T oppositely dis posed recesses extending inwardly from adjacent edgesthereof, said side lportions being joined together at ythe edges opposite the ,said recessed edges by an enlarged substantially tubular portion, of a retaining member pivotally secured to said body and adapted to be inserted between the said side portions from the recessed side thereof to close said recesses, and an arm upon said retaining member project-ing into the said tubular portion when said retaining member is in the recess-closing position, the outer endv ofk said arm being divided and spread laterally to form resilient toes adapted to engage the edges of the side portions and tendingto prevent withdrawal of said retaining member. j l

l, In a fastener, the combination 'with a body member comprising two substantially parallel 'side portions having oppositely disposed. recesscs therein, of a retaining member pivotally secured between the said side portions and adapted to close the said recesses, lateral arm at the pivoted end of said retaining' member, and elongated and oppositely disposed apertures in said side members, the lower end of said apertures registering with the upper edge of said Alateral arm of said retaining member when the latter is in the recess-closing position.

5. In a fastener, the combination with a body member comirising two substantially parallel side portions having oppositely disposed recesses therein, of a retaining member pivotally secured between lthe said side portions and adapted to close the saidv rc cesses, a lateral arm at the pivoted end of said retaining` member, elongated and koppositely disposed apertures in said side members, the lower ends of said apertures registering with the upper edge of said lateral arm Yof said retaining member when the latter is in the recess-closing position, an arm at the upper end of said retaining member adapted when the said member is in the closing position to lie between said side portions, and resilient means carried by said last-.named arm for preventing accidental withdrawal thereof from between the side portions.

6. In a fastener for chains, the combination with a body member comprising two substantially parallel `side portions having oppositely disposed recesses therein, of a retaining member pivotally secured between the said side portions and adapted to close the said recesses, a lateral' arm at ythe piv oted end of said retaining member, said arm extending inwardly between the said sides of the body kmember when the retaining member is in therecess-closing position, slotted apertures correspondingly located in the said sides of the body member through which a link of a chain is adapted to pass, said apertures being so located that when the chain is under tension the said retaining member is prevented from opening by engagement of the said arm with the said link, substantially as described.

' PERCY J. BAKER..v 

